Council X. of Toledo, in 656.
THIS Council was held a Month later than it had been appointed: It made seven Canons. * 1.1
In the 1st, the Festival of the Virgin was appointed to be kept eight Days before Christmas.
By the 2d the Clerks or Monks, which shall be found to have violated the Oaths taken to the King and the State, are deprived of their Dignity, yet so as that it shall be free for the Prince to restore them to it, if he thinks fit.
By the 3d Bishops are forbidden to give Parochial Churches or Monasteries to their Kindred or Friends, to enjoy the Revenues of them.
In the 4th it is ordered, That Women who have embraced the state of Widowhood, ought to make Profession of it, in Writing, before the Bishop or the Presbyter, to take the Habit of it, to keep it on always, and to wear a Veil of a Black or Violet Co∣lour.
The 5th decrees, that those who leave the Habit of Widowhood, after they have worn it, shall be excommunicated, and shut up in Monasteries.
The 6th orders, That those Children, whom their Parents caused to take the Tonsure, or the Religious Habit, shall be obliged to lead a Religious Life: That, nevertheless, Parents cannot offer their Children, before they be ten Years old, and after that Age the Children's Consent is necessary.
The last Canon contains an Advertisement, to disswade Christians from selling their Slaves to the Jews.
There was presented to this Council a Confession in Writing from Potamius Bishop of Braga, who was accused of many Crimes. They brought him before the Council; he owned that Writing, declared himself deeply guilty of those Faults; and said, that nine Months since he had relinquished the Government of his Church, and shut himself up in a Prison, to do Pe∣nance. The Council being informed that he had had the carnal Knowledge of a Woman, they declared, That although, according to the Ancient Rules, he was to be wholly degraded, and deprived of his Dignity, yet, out of compassion, they left him the Title and the degree of a Bishop, but they would have him to do Penance all his Life-time, and they did chuse Fructuosus, Bishop of Dumes, to govern the Church of Braga in his room. This Decree is put after the Canons of the Council; and to it is annexed another Decree, disannulling the Bequests of a Will, made by Recimer Bishop of Dumes, to the Prejudice of his Church.
This Council is subscribed by 3 Metropolitans, Eugenius of Toledo, Fugitinus of Sevil, Fructuosus of Braga, by 17 Bishops and 5 Bishops Deputies.